skip navigation

Referees

PYSA Referee Program

All referees in PYSA go through a formal training and development process coordinated by the Plano Youth Soccer Referee Committee.

Aspiring referees are required to complete referee training sponsored by the North Texas State Soccer Association and its affiliates.  The base, Grade 8, course includes 16-1/2 hours or classroom instruction and field sessions.  Students must pass a referee certification test with a score of 75% or better.

The Referee Committee supports a mentoring and assessment program in which senior referees and assessors monitor and instruct referees each and every weekend during the season.  Assessors determine whether referees are prepared to move to the "next level" of games.

Coaches are invited and urged to evaluate the performance of all PYSA referees for all league games.  These Referee Evaluations go directly to the Referee Committee and serve as feedback indicating which referees are doing well and which may need more training or mentoring.

Typically new referees will start with younger recreational games, and work their way through the ranks to higher level games.

Senior officials must complete an annual physical assessment to ensure their fitness to cover high-level games.

Each year, all referees are required to pass a recertification test as a refresher to understanding the Laws of the Game.  PYSA employs ONLY officials who are currently registered and certified through NTSSA, US Soccer, and FIFA.


Referees' Code of Conduct

All referees of PYSA matches, leagues, and tournaments are expected to understand and adhere to the NTSSA Referees' Code of Conduct. Any violations of the Code should be immediately reported to Referee Committee.


Referee Evaluations

Only coaches have the right and responsibility to submit Referee Evaluations to the Referee Committee to evaluate individual game performances of PYSA officials. 

Parents, spectators, or bystanders do not have the right to formally evaluate any game performance by a referee. 

Non-coaches do have the right to file complaints based on the Referees' Code of Conduct or any non-game related matter.  To do so, please contact the PYSA Referee Committee.